Hogan Bassey
Titles: Featherweight champion 1957-1959
Record: 59-13-2
Born: June 3, 1932 in Calabar, Nigeria
Years active: 1949 - 1959
Nickname: Kid
The first 3 fights in which Hogan Bassey participated were for titles!
Hogan went 1-1-1 in those fights. Bassey's first fight was a 12 round fight
with Dick Turpin for the Nigerian flyweight title which he won by decision.
A rematch produced a 5th round disqualification loss. His third fight was
for the West African title which ended in a draw. I cant think of many
other fighters who could have jumped right into 12 round bouts. Bassey's
search for better competition sent him to England in 1951 where it took
him time to adjust to the different boxing and life styles. In his first
year in England he competed in 19 fights with varying results. Bassey's
brawling, pressure style and good body attack would wear many opponents
down and made him a fan favorite. He fought and won the British Empire
title in 1955 by knocking out and avenging a earlier loss to Billy "Spider"
Kelly. A year later Sandy Saddler gave up his world featherweight title
Bassey fought Cherif Hamina in Paris for the title. Bassey survived a early
knockdown and Hamina wilted under the power of Bassey in the 10th round and
Bassey became the first world champion from Nigeria. Bassey won 4 non-
title fights including a defeat of former champ and ring legend Willie Pep.
His only successful defense came against hard hitting Mexican sensation
Ricardo Moreno in front of 20,000 fans in England. Bassey meet his match
in Davey Moore who took his title in Los Angeles and also defeated him in
a rematch. Bassey was a smart man who knew when his skills had left him and
he retired after the second loss to Moore and returned to Nigeria where he
was appointed the director of physical education by the government and also
coached the Nigerian Olympic boxing team.
Hogan Bassey
Career Record: 59 W, 13 L, 2 D (21 K.O's)
1949
---- Dick Turpin Lagos, Nigeria W 12
(Wins Nigerian Flyweight Title)
---- Dick Turpin Lagos, Nigeria L D.Q 5
(Loses Nigerian Flyweight Title)
1950
May 31 Ogli Tettey Lagos, Nigeria D 12
---- Steve Jeffra Lagos, Nigeria W ??
---- Eddie Phillips Lagos, Nigeria W ??
---- Bola Lawal Lagos, Nigeria L ??
Nov 10 Joe Bennett Lagos, Nigeria KO 10
(Wins Nigerian Bantamweight Title)
1951
Jan 29 Dick Turpin Lagos, Nigeria W 6
May 4 Kid Chukudi Lagos, Nigeria KO 3
May 16 Jack Salami Lagos, Nigeria W 8
May 30 Adjetey Sowah Lagos, Nigeria W 10
Aug 29 Steve Jeffra Lagos, Nigeria W 12
(Wins Nigerian Bantamweight Title)
Sep 28 Young Spider Neequaye Lagos, Nigeria W 12
1952
Jan 31 Ray Hillyard Liverpool, England KO 4
Feb 19 Peter Fay Hanley, England W 8
Mar 5 Tommy Higgins Blackpool, England W 8
Mar 24 Len Shaw Preston, England W 8
Apr 1 Glyn Evans Hanley, England D 8
Apr 17 Bobby Boland Liverpool, England KO 5
Apr 26 Johnny Kelly Belfast L 8
May 15 Frank Williams Liverpool, England L 8
Jun 23 Ivor Davies W. Hartlepool, England KO 2
Jul 28 Johnny Barclay W. Hartlepool, England KO 6
Aug 7 Jimmy Cardew Liverpool, England W 8
Aug 28 Tommy Higgins Liverpool, England W 8
Sep 11 Stan Skinkiss Liverpool, England KO 7
Sep 22 Eddie McCormick Manchester, England W 8
Oct 9 Eddie Carson Liverpool, England W 10
Oct 27 Tommy Proffitt Manchester, England W 8
Nov 14 Tommy Proffitt Manchester, England KO 7
Dec 8 Pierre Cossemyns Leeds, England L 10
Dec 15 Bobby Boland Manchester, England KO 5
1953
Jan 8 Jackie Briers Liverpool, England W 10
Jan 20 Ken Lawrence London KO 5
Jan 30 Johnny Haywood Blackpool, England LDQ 3
Feb 27 Luis Perez Romero Manchester, England KO 8
Mar 24 Emile Chemana London KO by 5
Jul 9 Denny Dawson Liverpool, England KO 4
Aug 27 Tommy Higgins Liverpool, England W 8
Sep 7 Juan Alvarez Newcastle, England L 10
Oct 6 Sammy McCarthy London W 10
Dec 8 Billy Kelly London L 8
1954
Mar 4 Johnny Butterworth Liverpool, England W 10
Apr 29 Jean Sneyers Liverpool, England W 10
Jun 3 Enrico Macale Liverpool, England W 8
Jul 2 Jacques Legendre Manchester, England W 10
Aug 12 Joe Woussem Liverpool, England L 8
Sep 5 Luis Perez Romero Manchester, England W 10
Oct 27 Harry Ramsden Blackpool, England W 8
Nov 30 Aime Devisch Leeds, England W 10
1955
Jan 31 Percy Lewis Nottingham, England W 8
Mar 22 Marcel Ranival London KO 5
Jun 3 Andre Pierson Manchester, England W 10
Aug 25 Juan Alvarez Liverpool, England W 10
Oct 8 Joe Quinn Belfast KO 1
Nov 19 Billy Kelly Belfast KO 8
(Wins Commonwealtht Featherweight Title)
1956
Feb 7 Jean Sneyers London KO 5
Mar 22 Louis Cabo Liverpool, England KO 4
May 3 Aldo Pravisani Liverpool, England W 8
Sep 6 Alby Tissong Liverpool, England W 8
Oct 20 Jean Sneyers Liege, Belgium KO by 5
Nov 26 Joao Dos Santos Leicester, England W 10
1957
Apr 1 Percy Lewis Nottingham, England W 15
(Retains Commonwealth Featherweight Title)
Apr 26 Miguel Berrios Washington DC W 12
Jun 24 Cherif Hamia Paris KO 10
(Wins Vacant World Featherweight Title)
Oct 7 Victor Pepeder Nottingham, England W 10
1958
Jan 23 Pierre Cossemyns Liverpool, England W 10
Apr 1 Ricardo Moreno Los Angeles KO 3
(Retains World Featherweight Title)
Jun 24 Jules Touan London KO 7
Sep 20 Willie Pep Boston KO 9
Oct 31 Carmelo Costa New York W 10
Dec 13 Ernesto Parra Hollywood, CA W 10
1959
Mar 18 Davey Moore Los Angeles KO by 13
(Loses World Featherweight Title)
Aug 19 Davey Moore Los Angeles KO by 11
(For World Featherweight Title)